Miscellanea spiritualia: or, Devout essaies: composed by the Honourable Walter Montagu Esq.

§. VI.

Presumption upon our vertue discussed, and the danger thereof remonstrated.

THere are many Lovers, who (when they find no di∣rect design of impurity at first in their passions) con∣clude them competent with their salvation, and care not how neare the wind they steere, nor how many boards they make, as long as they believe they can reach the Port with this wind, which is so faire for their senses; therefore they pretend they need not stand so strait a course, as making Jobs covenant with their eyes, nor setting Davids watch over their lips, provi∣ded they set a guard over their heart, that no foule possession enter upon that seate: thus do they expose many faire models of their love, which in speculation may seem designed accor∣ding to the square of Religion, but how hard it is to build ad∣equately

to the speculative measures in this structure, none can tell that presume to know it: our senses are not inanimate ma∣terials that obey the order of the spirits designe, but rather la∣bourers, which are easily debauched, to worke contrary to the measures and rule of the Spirit: hence it is, that they who will undertake in this case, all they can argue possibly for humane nature, render it impossible by their undertaking it, for they reckon not their presumption as any impediment, which in the practise (as being an irritation of God) out-weighs all the o∣ther difficulties, and the more, alwayes the lesse it is weighed in the designe; therefore as Solomon saith, The wise man declineth evil, and the foole heapes on and is confident. * 1.1

The beliefe of impossibility is the most prudent supposition in such experiments as cannot be essayed without some despe∣rate exposure of our selves: it may be demonstrate by reason, that we may have halfe of our body over a precipice, so the centre of the weight be kept in an exact aequilibrium, that part which is pensile can never weigh down the other which is sup∣ported but we should thinke one mad that would try this con∣clusion, when the least motion changeth the Position, and con∣sequently destroyeth the practicer of this speculation: so those that pretend to keept their soules equally poised in the just measures between piety and prophane love, their eyes hanging over the precipice of temptations, which do so easily turne their heads, and then alter all the positions of their mind, ad∣venture upon just such a spirituall experiment.

He that seeketh danger shall perish in it, is attested by the un∣happy president of the wisest of men, and it is superfluous to * 1.2 instance other testimonies of this truth: When David and So∣lomon, the two brazen pillars of the Temple, (being the dire∣ction and fortitude of the Princes of Israel) were melted and poured out like water, (as David himselfe confesseth) by the ardors of his flesh, and so they seem to stand in holy record as two high eminent markes set upon these sands, to advertise the strongest vessels not to venture to passe over them: and if Saint Paul that vessel of election, after his having seen the beauty of

Heaven to possesse his heart) thought himselfe hard matched with the Angell of Sathan, and cryed out to heaven for helpe against him; shall any presume to entertain and cherish this ill Angell, and hope to overcome him with flattery and civility? for they make this tryall, who lodge in their thoughts, and serve with their fancies, strong impressions of humane beauty, and propose to keepe their body in order, even by the vertue of such a guest, pretending that the very object infuseth a re∣membrance, and reverence of purity.

With this and the like glittering conceipts do many vain Lo∣vers fondly satisfy and abuse themselves, which is to answer the question of the Holy Spirit, that the fire they carry in their bosomes preserveth them from being enflamed by it; we may fitly say to such, in answer from the Prophet, God laughs at you; when all Gods advices are, that there is no security against this bosome enemy, but violence and diffidence; there is no meane between the flesh's being slave or master; this treaty of Friendship between it and the spirit, proves but Dalilahs kind holding of Sampsons head in her lap, while she is shaving him: How often do we see the Spirit thus betraid, and lye bound by this confidence? And truly, all those chaines which vain Lo∣vers forge for the figuring out the powerfulnesse of beauty, may be said to be those irons the flesh hath cast off, and set upon the Spirit, which is truly captivated alwayes by the others li∣berty.

This considered, let none presume, that while they deny the〈…〉〈…〉 eyes nothing which they covet, they can deny their hearts any undue cupidity; for this seemeth such an experiment, as if one of the children of Israel should have carryed a fiery Serpent in his bosome, presuming that while he looked upon the Brazen Serpent he could not be stung: sure such a perverted confidence would not have proved safe to the projector: So those who believe (while they have the love of God before their eyes) they may expose them to all the fiery darts of lustfull eyes; seem to tempt God by such a vain presumption: these are such of whom we may fitly say with the Apostle, that Erring themselves

they lead others into errour, and have a forme of Godlinesse, but * 1.3 deny the Power of it, being lovers of pleasure, more then lovers of God.

Let no body then trust to any confederacy between the flesh & the spirit which is of humane loves making, for, of all recon∣ciled enemies, the flesh is least to be trusted after the accord, and love the least for the arbitration; therefore let none be∣lieve their souls out of danger, because in the first paces of their passion, they meet no insolent temptations that face them, and declare the danger of their advance, for the Devill keepes like∣ly his first Method still, with those he findeth in the state of innocence, he taketh the shape of the serpent, and creeps up by insinuation, and then changeth his shape into the figure of his power, and this transmigration of the evil spirits, from one body into another, is truer then the fancy of Pythagoras; for we find often this Metamorphosis of the devill from the form of a dove unto a serpent, & from a lamb into a lion, since it is the same spirit that moves in the poetical doves of Venus, as was acting in Eves serpent, & thus what hath at first in our love an innocent form, passeth quickly into a venemous nature.

Wherefore severe caution, and repulse of the first motions of our sensitive appetite, is the onely guard our soules can trust against our bodyes in this case: for certainly many lovers sink into temptations in which they perish, as some do that wade themselves unawares beyond their depth, who go into the water at first, with caution and security as they believe, and are carefull to find ground at every advance of one of their legs, but when the water gets to a certaine height, though they feel ground still, they cannot use their legs, which are carried up by the streame before they are out of their depth, and thus they perish by this ill measured confidence: Even so the most cautious lovers do often cast themselves away, for as long as they feel but the feare of God as a ground, they go still upon, and finde no temptations, (which the Scripture fa∣miliarly figureth to us by waters) force away absolutely their consents, (which are the souls feet) they think themselves safe,

while they feel the ground of a good resolution, but comming on by degrees into such a depth of temptation, as the sensitive appetite doth surreptiously lead them into, their feet are easily carryed away, and so they are lost by this unexperienced presumption: and thus as Solomon saith, we find There is a way * 1.4 which seemeth right unto man, but the ends of it are the wayes of death: Me thinks Solomons experience should disabuse all men in the relying upon the virtue of their Spirit, when we see that his so singular induement with the holy Spirit was not securi∣ty against the danger of this presumption: we are warned by the Apostle, not to extinguish the Spirit, and nothing puts it out so soon as the bodyes being set on fire, the pure immixt fire of the cloven tongues will not hold in long in cloven hearts, they must be perfect Holocausts, which are to enter∣tain that flame, and when the eyes are but warming them∣selves at strange fire, that is, intending onely an innocent de∣light in the sight of beauty, they are often in too much dan∣ger of being taken by this incentive.

Holy Saint Bernard bringeth in Eve, looking upon the fruit, while it was so yet in her eye, when she saw it pleasant & faire * 1.5 to the eye; and asketh her, why do you look so longingly upon your own death? why are you so taken in looking upon that, which if you tast you are lost? you answer, that you do but cast your eye, and not your hand upon it, and that you are not forbid to see, but to eat; O though this be not your actuall crime, yet is it an aptitude thereunto, for while you are thus amused, the serpent covertly windeth into your heart, first by blandishments he intangleth your reason, and then by falla∣cies he diverteth your fear, affirming you shall not surely die, and thus sharpens the curiosity while he suggesteth the cupi∣dity, and by these degres presenteth the fruit, and putteth you out of the garden; and this is commonly the event of the chil∣dren of Eve, who entertaine this party with the serpent, weigh∣ing no temptation when it lights first upon their eyes, till it fall too heavy on their hearts to be removed,

Therefore Saint Austin giveth us an excellent advise, since

the Devill doth watch thy heel, do thou watch his head, which is the beginning of an ill suggestion; when he proffereth first an ill motion, reject it; then, before delectation arise, and consent follow; thus while thou breakest his head, he shall not be able to bruise thy heel. And sure Saint Austin is one of the best Counsellors we can consult in this case, for he reads it decided in that book which he was commanded to take up and read, while he was studying the case, which advise as it came from the same voice, so it wrought the same effect, take up thy bed and walk; for it raised him from being bed-rid in this passion, and set him a walking with him who is the way, the truth, and the life; We cannot recuse Saint Austine as a party against this passion, when he professeth he had studied long the agreement of it with Piety, therefore let us heare the result of his studies.

All the while he was in this disceptation, he confesseth he found two wils in himself, the one carnal, & the other Spiritu∣all; which by a daily contention did sever and dissipate his mind: and thus by experience he found the combate between the flesh and the Spirit, which while his mind sought to part and reconcile, she was hurt by both parties, conscience wounded her on the one side, and custome struck her on the other, on which she was the most sensible, so as his senses sway∣ed him commonly to a partiality; thus he sheweth us the links of that chaine, which lovers by degrees find their wills fasten∣ed by; an easie seduced appetite raiseth passion, and that che∣rished, induceth custome, and that uncontrolled imprints ne∣cessity, which becometh a punishment of perverted liberty; for the law of sinne is the violence of custome, by which the mind is drawne and held at last even against her owne relu∣ctancie, but deservedly, for having willingly fallen into this necessity, in this manner he confesseth that often upon the motions of the Spirit, which invited him to break off all treaty of accord, and to declare for the redemption of his captived appetite, he found himselfe kept as it were in a slumber in these meditations of rising out of that soft bed of sensuality,

and while he lay stretching himselfe to wake, overcome still by his drowsinesse, he lay still tossing in this resolution.

And alas, how familiarly do we rowle our selves asleep a∣gaine in this doubtfull drowsinesse, while we are halfe awake, purposing to rise and break off our fancyes, dreames, and il∣lusions! O then let Saint Austin's alarum keep us awake, while we are in this halfe-wishing or vellity towards our cast∣ing off the workes of darknesse, let us not lie still stretching and consulting our senses, whether the night be farre spent, and the day be at hand, that is, whether there be not enough of our * 1.6 youth left to promise us time to make our selves ready for the last day, let us not slumber in this rumination, but rise and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and not lie turning our selves to and fro, which is, to make provision for the lusts of the flesh; Saint Austin after he had rowsed himselfe upon this alarum rose up directly, and set himselfe to such exercises as kept him alwayes in that vigilancy which is required, not to enter into temptation, he presently broke off all treaty with this passion, and hath left this excellent test for lovers to touch their affe∣ctions, to try if they be of that purity which is onely currant with God.

They love God lesse then they ought, who love any thing besides God, which they love not for God. * 1.7

This is to state God in our affections, as he hath proclaimed himselfe to our faith, to be the beginning and end of all things; Now whether a passion to the creature can by any compasse of humane frailty be drawne into this perfect circle, moving first from the love of God, and reflecting still back againe in all the circumference to that first point? is a question will be answered affirmatively by none, but by him who promised man he should become like God; for this is an understanding above the straine of humane nature: yet I believe there are ma∣ny lovers seduced by this counsellor, who at first designe this innocent re-conveyance of their affections, passing through the creature back to their proper place, and of many of such pro∣jectors, we may say as Saint Gregory doth of the Camell in

the law, that they are cleane in the head, but not in the hoof; they ruminate well, and speculate cleannesse and purity in the rationall part, but the feet of their soules, which are the sensitive appetites, want alwayes their right division, because they remaine too intirely carnall, and so the whole becomes illegall in the law of grace: therefore I may say it will be hard for such Camels to passe in at the narrow gate; wherefore I shall advise those well-meaning minds in Christs name, He that is thus washed, wanteth yet the washing his feet, they must indeavor to change and purge their terrestriall affections * 1.8 (which are here typified by the feet) with as much neatnesse as they can for the impressions of corporeall beauties, which at first are but as dust upon their feet, if they be let stick upon them, do easily turne to such dirt as is not to be got off but by water drawn from the head; teares are required to wash off that at last, which our breath might have blown off at first.

Therefore let them remember Solomons admonition, in the * 1.9 first straynings and impulses of their frailties, thy eyes shall see strange women, & thy heart shal speak pervers things: we must answer then our hearts first question, before it multiply argu∣ments, with King Davids resolution, My heart, and my flesh rejoyce in the living God, who indeed is the Essence of all beau∣ty and goodnesse, and hath such an immensity of them, as even they who love not him directly, can love nothing under the notion of faire or good, that is not a part of him, though they be so injurious to God as to cover him with his own light, taking the lesse notice of him, the more they find of his simi∣litude in the creature, they love and honour with his rights: in this case we do but like fishes who play and leap at the i∣mage of the sun, as it is impressed upon the fluencie of their element, and take it for the reall substance: for when we adore the image and copy of beauty, shadowed out to us upon the fluent and transitory superficies of well coloured flesh and blood, are we not deluded like fishes, with a shining image of beauty superficially delineated upon our own fleeting element?

and thus as the Apostle saith, we are erring, and leading into errour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pro. 14.
• * 1.2

  3 Reg. ch. 7. Jachin and Boos the two pillars set be∣fore the tem∣ple of Solo∣mon, signify∣ing Direction and Forti∣tude.
• * 1.3

  2 Tim. 3. v 4. 5.
• * 1.4

  Prov. 14. 12.
• * 1.5

  Genesis 3.
• * 1.6

  Rom. 13. v. 13. 14.
• * 1.7

  Apoc. 216.
• * 1.8

  Iohn 13. 13.
• * 1.9

  Prov. 23. 33.